Acronym

MS - Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis

Autoimmune demyelinating disease; magnetic resonance imaging shows T2 lesions in brain and spinal cord

Expansion

Multiple Sclerosis

Purpose

Diagnosed by McDonald criteria requiring magnetic resonance imaging plus clinical or laboratory evidence

Clinical Context

Multiple sclerosis: lesions T2 hyperintense, often periventricular. Gadolinium enhancement equals active lesion. McDonald criteria show dissemination in space (lesions separate locations) and time (new lesions on follow-up).

  • Demyelination
  • Autoimmune

Key Points

  • Multiple sclerosis shows brain lesions perpendicular to ventricles, infratentorial, spinal cord lesions; enhancing lesions on gadolinium equals active